Texans Sign Former Cowboys RB Amid Backfield Depth Concerns

The Houston Texans have added a new ball carrier to their 53-man roster.

Jul 29, 2026; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Emari Demercado (25) walks down the hill to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Houston Texans have made a new addition to their backfield on Wednesday despite being in the middle of their Week 8 bye.

And that signing just so happens to have come via waivers from their in-state neighbors in the Dallas Cowboys.

According to the Texans' transaction log, the team has claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers after he was let go by the Dallas Cowboys earlier in the week.

We have claimed Emari Demercado off waivers and made other roster moves. pic.twitter.com/2V0C9WcsDm

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 28, 2026

What Emari Demercado Brings to the Table

Demercado, a 5-foot-9, 215-pound running back who's been in the league for the past four seasons. He spent his first three years pro with the Arizona Cardinals, where he played a total of 40 games and recorded over 1,100 yards from scrimmage throughout that span.

More recently, Demercado had been with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year as a part of their 90-man roster leading into the regular season.

He was ultimately sent to waivers by the Chiefs at the end of August, and would quickly be scooped up by the Cowboys, where he would play two games over the course of this season.

Jul 29, 2026; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Emari Demercado (25) runs the ball during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In those two games he played in between Weeks 1 and 2, Demercado put together five carries for 15 yards on the ground, but would not be activated past those pair of appearances.

Now, Demercado is able to land on his feel with the Texans heading into the second half of the season, as he'll be able to provide some sense of backfield depth that Houston was left without during their most recent game against the New York Giants.

Why the Texans Needed to Add Running Back Depth

Since the Texans' Week 5 win vs. the Tennessee Titans, the offense has been without their lead veteran in the backfield in David Montgomery, as he's been dealing with a groin injury to keep him sidelined for Weeks 6 and 7.

Montgomery has still yet to log a limited, let alone full practice, for the team since going down with his injury. And while the Texans do have a bye week ahead of them that provides extra time for him to get right, there are no guarantees he'll be ready to go before their next game in Week 9 against the LA Chargers.

Without Montgomery, the Texans were currently left with just two active running backs on their roster in Week 7. RB3 British Brooks has been on injured reserve since Week 4 with a hamstring injury, and Jawhar Jordan was just placed on Houston's practice squad injured reserve after suffering an injury in Week 6 vs. Jacksonville.

That meant Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale were the only names the Texans could lean on in their backfield for Week 7. And while that setup worked relatively well for most of the contest against New York, an injury scare for Marks in the second half put that need for a third rostered running back on full display.

Therefore, the Texans now have another running back on their 53-man roster to lean on in Demercado, who brings depth, experience, and another ball carrier to utilize in the event that Montgomery–– or any other running back in the mix–– is due to miss any more time moving forward.

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